A can-do 5K: Entrants recycle, help needy

Michael ReebTHE BALTIMORE SUN

Runners distraught over increased race entry fees would do well to check out the Run With Steel IV 5K to be held Sept. 19 at Dundalk Community College.

The race, sponsored by six major U.S. tinplate producers and vTC directed by the Baltimore Road Runners Club, has a unique entry fee: five full and five empty steel food cans or $5. All proceeds will be donated to the Maryland Food Bank.

"What I really like is that there is a partnership for this race," Maryland Food Bank executive director Bill Ewing said last week. "There are people who make steel, Pillsbury is involved, Giant Food is going to be giving some things away.

"We've had a demand for food in areas that you would not expect -- Rosedale, Essex, in the blue-collar rural areas of Baltimore. I think that this is a happy coincidence that this is going to happen at this time. For every five bucks we receive, we can give away about a hundred dollars of food. Every single entry fee goes to the Maryland Food Bank. You can't talk about a better motivated event."

The Run With Steel race began in 1989 in an effort to promote steel can recycling. United States Steel's Irvin Works in Pittsburgh played host to the inaugural race, followed by Weirton of West Virginia and last year by Wheeling-Pittsburgh of Yorkville, Ohio.

This year, it is Bethlehem Steel Corporation's turn.

"Run With Steel is a race that is hosted by the six major tinplate producers," said Ernie Turnes of the human resources department of Bethlehem Steel Corporation's Sparrows Point plant. "The race is hosted by a different company each year. This year, it is being held here in conjunction with the 75th anniversary of tinplate production at the Sparrows Point plant. Next year, it will be hosted by LTV in Cleveland."

Dundalk Community College, the United Steelworkers Union and the BRRC is helping Bethlehem Steel get out word of the race to runners.

"I'm not a runner myself, but I understand that Dundalk Community College has about 70 entries and the union hall has about 50," Turnes said. "As the money comes in, we're sending it directly to the Maryland Food Bank because the race is completely funded by the six tinplate producers.

"One of the things we've been doing is working with the Baltimore Road Runners Club to distribute Run With Steel applications at running stores and at its races. But one of the other things we've been trying to do is appeal to some others who might not be as serious runners."

The first 1,500 entrants will receive T-shirts, and more than $8,000 in cash prizes will be distributed. For an application, call (410) 388-6502. The race will begin at 9 a.m.

Miscellaneous

The Howard County Striders' 16th annual Metric Marathon (26.2 kilometers, 16.3 miles) will be held in Columbia on Dec. 6 at 8 a.m. For information, call Rick Hatfield at (410) 740-0978. . . . The location of the Montgomery Country Road Runners Club-Howard County Striders annual September challenge has been changed. The Cross County Challenge 7-miler, formerly the Brighton to Brookville Challenge, will be held Sept. 6 at Patuxent River Park near the intersection of state routes 108 and 650. For information, call (301) 353-0200. . . . The week's top runners: